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Get advice on common conditions:

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make a request to my Practice?

To make a request to your Practice select the service that you require.

You will be prompted for information about your request. When you complete a request this will be sent to your practice. The system acknowledges that your request has been sent and will let you know what happens next.

The Practice handles the requests during their normal working day, i.e. if you send a request on Friday pm the Practice won’t normally see it until Monday morning.

How do I receive the responses from the Practice?

On some services, such as Ask the Practice a question and Ask the Doctor a question once the Practice has processed your request they will send you a response. This response will be sent to the email address that you have given in the form.

For security purposes the email will ask that you verify your identification. Once you have completed this the message from the surgery will be shown for you to read.

Security of your information

This service always uses fully encrypted connections, the same security as used in internet banking. If you look at the right of the address bar, you will see a small padlock icon. This indicates that you are using a secure link and that your data is encrypted.

As an additional measure your information is held encrypted until the practice need to view it. It is then sent to the practice still encrypted and only converted to readable text at the practice.

Tracking users

We track how you use our Digital Practice but we don’t collect or store your personal information (e.g. your name or address) while you’re browsing. This means that you can’t be personally identified.We use Google Analytics software to track:

The pages you visit

How long you use the site

How you got to the site and what links you clicked on.

We haven’t give Google permission to share this data with anyone else.

How Digital Practice updated?

We are continuously working on this site to make sure that the information is accurate and up to date. The digital practice is also continuously updated based on the results of user testing, feedback from members of the public and from your practice and other practices who are using this system.

Minor Eye Problems

If you have a recent problem with your eyes, such as sore eyes, red eyes or visual disturbance, you can be assessed and treated by our local Minor Eye Conditions Service. This is a free service for patients registered with a Bedfordshire GP, which is available from a number of local opticians.

Also, if you have a major eye condition that is being regularly monitored by your optometrist or hospital eye service, this will not be covered by this service, for example cataracts, diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.

Where should I go?

An appointment will normally be required at authorised opticians, so please telephone first. Appointments are available during normal working hours and some practices offer weekend appointments. Not all practices have an optometrist available every day, but if they don’t, they will be able to find you an alternative appointment nearby.

Who is this service for?

If you are registered with a local GP, you can use this free service. It is for people of all ages – adults and children. Children under 16 years must be accompanied at their appointment by an adult.

How do I book an appointment with the service?

To make an appointment, call one of the opticians that are listed above. You will be asked some questions about your symptoms in order to assess how quickly you need to be seen by the service, which will be withing 24 hours in urgent cases and withing a few days for routine appointments.

Please take your glasses and a list of your current medication with you to the appointment. The optometrist may put drops in your eyes to enlarge your pupils in order to get a better view inside your eyes. You should not drive until the effect of these drops have worn off, which may take a few hours.

If your condition is more serious, the optometrist will book you an urgent appointment at a hospital eye clinic. If you need a routine appointment with a hospital, the optometrist will organise this for you. You may also be advised to make an appointment with your GP if your eye condition is related to your general health.